Airmanship.

Airmanship.

Pilots, aircrew, and anyone involved or interested in flying knows what ‘airmanship’ means.

They know what a compliment it is to say of a pilot: ‘She demonstrated fine airmanship’.

What is the equivalent in a workplace? In a boss? In a board? Executive? Worker? Manager?

It appears the only equivalent is ‘Leadership’.

Perhaps explaining why ‘Leadership’ is both over and mis-used.

Why haven’t workplaces developed an ‘airmanship’ equivalent over the years?

What about the term ‘workmanship’?

Is ‘workmanship’ confined to manual, artisanal labour - and even so - how seldom do we hear of anyone being described as ‘demonstrating fine workmanship’?

‘Deskcraft’? ‘Thoughtship’? ‘Executiveship’?

Language tells us a lot about a culture.

Words matter.

In the absence of an ‘airmanship’ equivalent, we’re reduced to complimenting someone as being ‘a hard worker’. Or ‘busy’. Or ‘working late and on the weekends’.

Thus, while aircrew refine their situational awareness, cockpit scans, flight preparation, and other technical and attitudinal skills in pursuit of airmanship, the 13% or so of us who are not disengaged from our work strive to work ‘harder’ or be ‘busy’.

Or worse.

Nominate for the Aspiring Leader Programme.